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Gemenon (planet)
Two thousand years ago the Twelve Tribes left Kobol after a disaster - the nature of which is now unknown. They traveled two thousand light years to the Cyrannus Star System, a system with four stars. The Gemini Tribe colonized this world. Summary The first colony settled was Gemenon, which shares an orbit with its more populous and affluent neighbor, Caprica. The birthplace of several major religions, including the controversial Monotheism and its military arm, Soldiers of the One, Gemenon has been torn by religious division for most of its history. Its extreme climate, from frozen plateaus to searing deserts, can make life difficult for its residents, who are known for their toughness as well as their strict religious interpretation of the Sacred Scrolls. Mandel, Geoffrey. "The Twelve Colonies of Kobol" map. Technical Advisors Jane Espenson and Kevin R. Grazier, special thanks to Bob Harris, author of "Beyond Caprica: A Visitors Guide to the Twelve Colonies", Quantum Mechanix, 2010. Location The Twelve Colonies are located in the Cyrannus Star System, which is comprised of four stars. Gemenon is in the third orbit around the Helios Alpha star. It shares its orbit with the planet, Caprica. They revolve around their common barycenter, or center-of-gravity, with an orbital period of 28.2 days. The distance between Caprica and Gemenon is four-hundred and ninety-three thousand kilometers. Ibid. The colonies Picon and Tauron also orbit this star. Ibid. Geography Religion Two religions cohabitate uneasily on Gemenon. In addition to mainstream colonial polytheism, monotheism has its origins on the planet. Monotheism Monotheism is the belief in one, omnipotent god. Most of colonial civilization is polytheistic, but a minority is monotheistic, including the Monotheist Church and its military arm, the terrorist group known as Soldiers of the One. Members of the Church call Gemenon the holy birthplace of Monotheism. The Church is headed by The Blessed Mother, who lives on Gemenon at a place called the Retreat. The Conclave is a governing body which meets here. They are headed by a leader who reports directly to Mother and is her advisor. The Monotheist Church is located between two warring factions on the planet - the polytheistic rebels on the east and the Hephaestons on the other side. The situation is a big stalemate. Gemenon is the planet for which Ben Stark, Lacy Rand and Zoe Graystone were departing to begin a new life at a safe house with the Monotheists. Polytheist Beliefs The Polytheists believe in multiple gods, who are known as the "Lords of Kobol". The Gemenese believe in the literal truth of the Scriptures. Their strict religious beliefs dictate their laws concerning the family. They believe that abortion is an offense in the eyes of the gods. They consider minor children to be the property of their parents. ("Battlestar Galactica: The Captain's Hand") Terrorism The STO's training camp is on Gemenon. It is run by Kevin Reikle, praetor and instructor. Diego is another instructor who is often seen at Reikle's side. The camp's leaders, soldiers and cadets live in tents outside of the Monotheist Church headquarters and retreat. The church prefers to distance itself from the STO publicly, although they rely on them in secret for covert operations. The Apolli are a terrorist group based on Gemenon. They are an extremist group which employs violence to achieve their aims. The Apolli are severely critical of Monotheism and believe that the Monotheist God does not answer the prayers of his followers. Culture Gemenon is known for their monster movies. These are Philo's favorite films. Amanda Graystone looks at the U-87 and remarks that it looks like the "monster" that trampled Oranu. Additional Images 110 Monotheist Church Retreat Night.jpg|Monotheist Church retreat at night 114 Oranu Spaceport Night 1.jpg|Spaceport in Oranu Oranu.jpg|Oranu is the capital city of Gemenon. 101 Caprica and Gemenon.png|Gemenon shares its orbit with Caprica (foreground). Gemenon in Caprican Sky.jpg|Gemenon looms large in the Caprican sky. Gemenon Flag.jpg|The Flag of Gemenon Trivia Production Notes The Romanian language stands in for the Gemenese native tongue. "Blowback." Caprica: Season 1.5, created by Ronald D. Moore and Remi Aubuchon, podcast by Director of Development at Universal Cable Productions, Tom Lieber, and series regular Magda Apanowicz, episode 114, Syfy, 2010, disc two, 15:43-15:53. Cultural References * Hephaestus (God) * Hera (Goddess) at the Ancient History Encyclopedia * Pantheon * Praetor See Also * Monotheism * Polytheism References Category:Soldiers of the One Category:Locations Category:Planets